Fresh Start furniture bank is a volunteer-run charity located in Hudson, Massachusetts. Their main goal is to help families in need who have lost their homes or personal belongings in their homes. They also help to reduce waste and recycle all sorts of household items by giving them to families who would greatly appreciate them, rather than just throwing them out. Fresh Start opened in 2013, and since then they have helped more than 8,400 people and recycled over 130,000 items. 

Fresh Start is always looking for new volunteers, and it’s a really great opportunity to help people and families in need. The first time I volunteered at Fresh Start, it was heartwarming. The families who would come in would tell their stories, what happened to their homes, and what they had lost, and it made me realize how privileged I am. Fresh Start has many different volunteering jobs, and you can pick what fits you. 

For volunteering, there is 6 different options. First, you can be a sorter, and sort all the different donated items into the right categories and sections, which is a good opportunity for younger kids. You could also be a furniture cleaner, and clean the furniture before it goes out to the family. The third option is to be a store assistant, where you’re basically a personal shopper for the customers. You help them find the right item for their home. Along with those, you could be a furniture repairer, and repair the damaged furniture that comes in. You could also be a translator, they mainly need people who speak Spanish or Portuguese, but if you speak a different language you could still volunteer for something else and translate when needed. Lastly, you could be an in-store furniture mover. For this position, you have to be strong and be able to lift 100+ pounds. You would help move the family’s furniture to the truck, and help move the furniture in the store and assemble the parts. 

Fresh Start furniture bank is a really great program, and it is a great way to help families out and get involved in and around your community The work you would be doing is for a really good cause.  Even if you could only donate 1 blanket or 1 set of sheets, it could really help someone. Would you rather donate your old furniture and blankets to a donation center that would sell them, or to a charity that would give them to families who need them? Anything can help, and if you can, then do. To donate to the furniture bank, you have to drop the items off there. The drop-off times are on Tuesdays, from 9 AM-12PM, and Saturdays, from 8:30 AM-10:30 AM. We are also working on starting a drive at Nashoba.